Free A Guardians Passion by Mya Lairis

sights of Fenris and Rayne, Freya saw admiration and understanding when she mentioned such words as rage , anxiety , and doubt regarding her current state.
    Before either of them was aware of the time, the sun had gone down on their first day, and they had a little less than ten minutes to prepare for the orientation. With cubs in tow, they arrived and sat together at the lavish beach party.
    The centerpiece of the extravagant social was four long grills, two of which were large enough to hold the roast pigs twirling on spits. Chefs brushed marinade and seasonings upon grilled seafood. Rich, dark teriyaki glazes glistened over skewers of meat and vegetables, which were then served by a line of Sohon omegas. At each table were pitchers of ice water flavored with cucumbers, lemon, and mint leaves. A steel-drum band played in concert with the surf as a warm tropical breeze flowed over bare shoulders and swollen bellies alike. It was a beautiful night with a crescent moon, and Freya felt completely at ease. She was so relaxed that when Bryant began harassing his brother, she took hold of Ryant, all too willing to tussle.
    Freya practiced with the squirming whelp what she would one day have to do for her own cub, bouncing the child on her thigh while Melissa served his brother bits of food from her plate.
    “You’re good at that.”
    Freya considered the little medicine ball in her grip. He had been fussy at first but had quickly settled as soon as she found a consistent rhythm. An offering of cocktail sausage didn’t hurt either as he nipped her fingers in his eagerness to get at the meat.
    “Are you really thinking of returning to the life once your cub is born?”
    Freya met Melissa’s question with a shrug. “I don’t know. I could be reckless before, but with Bun coming, I have no idea what the game plan will be.” She had left her first beta, Cole, in charge of her team and jobs while she stayed in Iceland. He reported to her occasionally. He consulted with her, but he was not a leader, and when her mother stepped in to help him, Freya hadn’t been surprised.
    She had never said that she wouldn’t return, but when she asked Cole about working with his new alpha, he had admitted he didn’t see her coming back. “There’s plenty to hunt over there,” he had told her of Iceland and its proximity to the continent. She had wondered about hunting when she first arrived at the lodge, but then came pregnancy.
    “I feel guilty to admit it, but I miss the adrenaline, the physicality, the thrills.”
    Melissa agreed. “You’ll be back in fighting shape before you know it. And then after there are plenty of ways to get that thrill without putting your life in jeopardy. There is always the MCL.”
    Freya thought about the fighting competitions Melissa had told her about, the prize purses and the accolades. Melissa had claimed the rush to be nearly orgasmic when she fought, and Freya understood wholeheartedly. Before Fenris, she too had lived for the exhilaration and pleasure of combat. While both he and Rayne were more than adequate to satisfy her needs, any form of victory over them had become impossible.
    Prizefighting was something she could look into. Staring out at the black-blue ocean, Freya knew that some considered Ulfur Lodge to be an arena. It surely hosted enough fights even if money wasn’t wagered. But then the hunt…
    “Freya, packs go a long way in helping to raise cubs, but so does a mother.”
    She snapped back to Melissa, who had refreshed their glasses with the flavored water. She took hold of the one being offered to her and took a sip. The chill of the water helped to curb her angst over the unknown. “Oh, I know.”Above all, she knew that her love of battle would have a rival, one who was fidgeting in her womb even now. Freya couldn’t help but wonder if Bun was jealous of her playtime with Ryant.
    “Be honest. When you were a kid, didn’t you worry about your mother every time she went